'Shallow grave' found in Angeles National Forest believed to be site of animal sacrifice

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST - What investigators as a "shallow grave" found in along Big Tujunga Canyon Road north of Sunland earlier this week is believed to be the site of a ritualistic animal sacrifice, officials said Thursday.

A hiker found what appeared to be a bloody, shallow grave about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday at at mile marker 2.92 of Big Tujunga Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement.

Sheriff's homicide detectives and a coroner's investigators responded to the scene, but no human remains were ultimately discovered in the grave, according to sheriff's and coroner's officials.

They did recover a plastic bag filled with animal remains, Sgt. Debra Herman said. She did not know what type of animals had been buried or how many.

The animal burial was believed to be the result of a ritualistic animal sacrifice, though there were no clues as to who was responsible.

Though no human remains were recovered from the grave, the investigation into the grave, however, led authorities to discover the body and car of a missing 19-year-old Santa Clarita woman at the bottom of a nearby ravine, officials said.

The young woman had been missing since New Year's Day, officials said. No foul play was initially suspected, and the death was being investigated as an accident.